No Holding Back
by SophieWofy
Summary: Sequel to Another Level - read first to avoid major confusion. There's something odd going on at St Owen's Church, and Torchwood are investigating. Meanwhile, there's apparant hypnosis of Cardiff's residents, including some people very close to the team.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The tall building cast a dark shadow over the street, and the young Welshman standing outside shivered. It wasn't a particularly cold day; in fact, the sun had been shining when he awoke. He'd put on a shirt and trousers, and, out of habit, a jacket too. After all, it was his work attire. He hadn't needed it when he left his workplace that afternoon. Now he was glad for the extra layer. Nervously, he pushed open the glass door.

A skinny man who looked in his mid-forties welcomed his guest with an outstretched hand. Dressed in jeans and a shirt, he was far more casually dressed than his visitor.

"Reverend Sam Hopper," he smiled. "Glad you could make it, Mr Jones."

"Thanks for seeing me such short notice," the other man replied, taking a seat in the chair which had been pulled out for him. "You can call me Ianto."

"Ianto," Hopper repeated, rolling the name on his tongue. "Lovely Welsh name, that. A pretty name for a pretty man." He beamed at Ianto, showing two rows of gleaming white teeth. He adjusted his dog-collar before settling back into his chair. "Now then, where shall we start?"

xxx

"Right," Captain Jack Harkness addressed the two people who stood before him in Torchwood's firing range, "who can tell me rule number one when handling guns at Torchwood?"

"Don't leave the safety catch off accidentally?" Dante Devyn, teenage hacker and all-round computer obsessive, volunteered.

"Wrong," Jack frowned.

"Only do what you're supposed to do?" Doctor Caitlyn Burns suggested.

Again, Jack shook his head. "Come on," he sighed. "Anyone? Janet?" He looked across to the back of the long room.

"Janet?" Dante repeated, turning round to see nobody there. He frowned at his colleague.

"The Weevil," Caitlyn whispered. "Remember? Alien down in the cells wearing pyjamas."

"Oh," Dante blushed. "Er, don't give your gun to Janet?"

"That's rule three," Jack laughed. "Rule number one is, don't shoot your boss. Rule two is, don't shoot your colleagues, and rule three..." He trailed off, prompting Dante to repeat his answer.

"Why would anyone give their gun to Janet?" Caitlyn asked. "It's a bit of an odd rule, if you ask me."

"Try telling that to Owen," Jack replied with a nostalgic smile. "He thought training Janet to shoot a gun would help us in some way. It only made him more work, trying to remove a bullet from Janet's foot."

Dante sniggered. "He sounds a bit daft, to be honest."

"Owen was anything but daft," Jack snapped back. "He had his moments, but he was good at what he did. He was dedicated. He was loyal, and yes, he did go a bit far with his remarks at times, but he was Owen. We just accepted that. One thing he definitely was not, though, was daft."

"Alright," Dante retracted a little. "Sorry I said that. Now when are we going to be able to shoot these babies?"

"That's not the right attitude to have, kid," Jack rolled his eyes. "If I hear any more of that talk, I might change my mind about letting you have one. Guns aren't glamorous, they're lethal weapons. Don't you forget that. I don't care what you've been brought up to think, but here at Torchwood, we play by my rules."

"Sorry, Jack," Dante whispered. He inspected the pistol in his hand, stroking its intricate design. He'd never dreamt he'd be able to shoot one of these things; if he was honest, he'd never really wanted to. But joining Torchwood had given him a whole different perspective on life, and he knew that he currently held something that would potentially make the difference between being eaten by an alien and going home to his family.

"Right, earmuffs and glasses on," Jack commanded in his distinct American drawl.

Caitlyn and Dante immediately obeyed, not caring how silly they looked in yellow goggles and oversized blue earmuffs. Jack, also dressed in identical protective gear, pulled out his trusty Webley and stood between the two new operatives, adopting a shooting stance. They copied his position, each gripping a Torchwood-branded pistol tightly. Jack shook his head and stood behind Caitlyn, adjusting her arms so they were in the correct position.

"You're holding it too tightly," Jack explained. "Your body's too tense; you need to loosen up. You too, Dante," he added, looking over his shoulder at the youngster who was pointing his gun at cardboard Weevils and making quiet, but audible, shooting noises. "Behave. You're not in the playground now, kid. One hand on the gun."

Dante rolled his eyes. He hated being the youngest in the team; it gave Jack the impression he was incapable, and Dante knew he was anything but. He held his gun in one hand, sideways on like Jack had demonstrated, and pointed it at the floor. Moving his arm up slowly, he took deep breaths, regulating it like Jack had told him. He brought the weapon level with his neck, flicked off the safety catch and pulled the trigger.

"Nice shot, kid," Jack smiled, still holding Caitlyn's waist. "You're a natural. You ever shot one of these before?"

Dante shook his head. "Only the ones on the video games at the arcade," he told Jack.

"Right, keep going with that clip. Don't reload until I tell you."

Dante nodded, regaining his posture and beaming at a rare compliment from his boss.

"How come he can do it right without any help?" Caitlyn asked, leaning her head back so it was resting on Jack's shoulder.

"Some people just can," Jack replied. "Now, remember what I told you before I gave you the gun: it's all in the breathing. In and out. That's it, Caitlyn. Now draw your arm up slowly, keep it straight. Focus on the target and release."

Caitlyn shot, but the bullet skimmed the head of a cut-out Weevil and she cursed. "I'll never do this!"

"Yes, you will," Jack smiled, steadying the weapon with his hand.

Another of Dante's shots pierced straight through a target, and he jumped up and down. "Hah!" he shrieked. "Take that, Mr Weevil!"

"Dante," Jack warned. "Calm and composed."

"Fine," Dante agreed with a sigh. He stopped to watch as Caitlyn raised her gun once more, and released a perfect shot, making a hole in the eye of the nearest fake Weevil.

"You've got it," Jack smiled. "Dante, load up one of the bigger guns. I want you both comfortable with all of these by the time you go home."

"All of them?" Caitlyn gulped. There were at least a dozen different guns on the table, not to mention any Jack had hidden underneath.

"All of them," Jack repeated. "So you'd better get shooting."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Friday evenings were one of the busiest times of the week for police officers. Luckily, Gwen Cooper didn't have to worry about that anymore. As she curled up to her husband Rhys Williams on their sofa, she ignored the racing of sirens in the streets outside, not actually caring for the turbulent evenings her ex-colleagues faced. After all, she was Torchwood now.

Gwen stared past the television and focused on the white painted wall behind it. She wasn't in the mood for conversation; after leaving work in a miserable mood because she'd spilt coffee down her favourite jacket, she wanted to forget the day's events by spending a romantic evening with Rhys.

"You alright, love?" Rhys asked, pecking her on the cheek.

"Of course," Gwen replied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You seemed a bit, uh, distant, I suppose," Rhys explained. "Tough day at work?"

"Not really," Gwen replied honestly. "It's just Jack's training Dante and Caitlyn to use guns today. I'm worried, that's all."

"She still scares you?"

"A little," Gwen admitted quietly. "They all think I've recovered, but the truth is, I still hate being alone with her. Now she'll be able to shoot at me, I-"

"Oh, Gwen," Rhys whispered, holding his wife close to his chest. He stroked her brown hair softly as she buried her face in his chest. He'd known, deep in his heart, that Gwen was still troubled by the incident, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. That was typical Gwen; pretending everything was fine just to keep everyone else happy.

Gwen stood up, pulling Rhys with her, and she staggered to the bedroom. Pushing open the door, she fell onto the double bed, crushing Rhys beneath her. She kissed him passionately, tearing at his shirt.

"What's brought this on?" Rhys asked, but he definitely wasn't going to complain. He let Gwen unbutton his shirt whilst sprawling out on the bed.

A loud knock on the door interrupted the moment.

"Ignore it," Gwen whispered, nuzzling Rhys' neck.

"We shouldn't," Rhys replied, "but what the hell." Hearing his name being called through the letterbox in a desperate tone, however, prompted him to change his mind. "I'd better see who it is. I'll make it worth your while when I return," he promised.

"Rhys," a young girl gasped when he opened the door. "Corinne said you were in. Is Gwen here?"

"Who are you?" Rhys asked, confused by the presence of a teenager of no more than fourteen. "What do you want us for?"

"Tessa," she replied. "I live in the flat opposite. We just moved in the other week." She gestured down the hallway with a nail-bitten thumb.

"How do you know my name?" Rhys quizzed, still unconvinced.

"My sister does," Tessa explained. "She was chatting to you down the pub last week. Can you help us? My mum's gone crazy, and Corinne said she thought Gwen was a doctor."

"She's not a doctor," Rhys replied, folding his arms across his bare chest. "I think you must be confusing her with someone else."

"Cori said she did ops," Tessa insisted. "I thought she meant she was a doctor."

"Gwen's _Special_ Ops," Rhys sighed. "Slight difference there, I'm afraid."

"But I can still help," Gwen smiled. Rhys turned around to see her standing behind him, leaning against the doorframe. He didn't know how long she'd been there, but what he did know was that she looked rather attractive with her hair dangling loosely over her cheeks. "What's up with your mum?

"She went to counselling with Reverend Hopper like she always does, but she came home chanting this really weird thing and she ignored us when we tried to tell her to snap out of it," Tessa explained. "You've got to try and help her, Gwen. I'm scared."

"I'll do what I can," Gwen promised. "Come on; let's go see your mum." She let the frightened teenager lead her, pecking Rhys on the cheek and patting his chest playfully as she left their flat. "I won't be long," she mouthed. Rhys nodded and headed back to his bedroom alone.

xxx

Ianto sipped on the coffee Hopper had fetched for him. It was nowhere near as good as the stuff he drank normally, but coffee was coffee and he certainly wasn't going to turn it down.

"So, Ianto," Hopper smiled, "what brings you to Saint Owen's Church?"

Ianto couldn't conceal his amusement at the name. "I-" he began, giggling childishly and for once, not actually caring how silly he looked. "I'm sorry, it's the name."

"Saint Owen's?" Hopper asked, confused.

Ianto nodded. "I had a friend called Owen, and well, he was anything but a saint."

"Had?" Hopper noted.

"He died," Ianto explained. "Look, I came here because, well, it's a bit of a silly reason really."

"Go on," Hopper prompted.

"I came because I heard you make really good coffee, and to be honest, whoever said that was lying. It's awful."

"Ianto?" Hopper frowned. He stared Ianto in the eye, trying to suss if he was being serious or not.

"I'll see you around, Reverend," Ianto stood up and offered his hand to the older man, who took it more out of duty than out of desire. Leaving the church, Ianto chuckled to himself. Collecting readings had been a lot easier than he thought. He checked the rift activity device in his pocket, and frowned. There was nothing abnormal about Saint Owen's Church at all. Which either meant the device was broken, or there was something else causing the problems he had been sent to find the answers to. Opening the unmarked car he'd borrowed from Torchwood, Ianto headed back towards the Hub.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gun in either hand, Caitlyn pounded bullets into the targets in front of her. She ran up the hall, shooting to both sides and achieving an almost perfect success rate.

"That's more like it," Jack smiled, leaning against the table. "Dante, your go."

The young man released the safety catches on his two weapons as Caitlyn returned her guns to the collection. "Nice shooting, Cait."

"You're better at it than I am," Caitlyn replied, smiling at the compliment. "Must be something to do with you being a teenager. It's like you're all capable of using weapons better than adults are."

Dante dropped his guns on the floor and shoved Caitlyn against the wall angrily. "I'm sick of being treated like a kid round here! All you lot comment on is my age. You'd complain if we kept on about Jack being the oldest one here, so why's it any different when it's me?"

"Strictly speaking, I shouldn't even be born yet," Jack placed a hand on Dante's shoulder. "Oh, and harassing the staff is my job. Let her go, Dante, and we can sort this out."

"You can't sort anything out," Dante snapped. "Nothing you can do will stop me being the youngest, so why bother?" He bent down and picked up a loaded gun from the floor, screaming as he sent a round of bullets through a cardboard Weevil's head.

"Calm down," Jack whispered, standing behind Dante and placing a steady hand on the weapon. "I'm not having you shooting while you're angry. You've done enough for tonight. Go home."

"Would you send her home?" Dante asked, pointing in Caitlyn's general direction with his other hand.

"Of course," Jack nodded, pointing the gun towards the floor and releasing it from the teenager's grasp. "I wouldn't want anyone in here who's not in the right frame of mind. You've both done well tonight. Go, and I'll see you bright and early tomorrow." He laughed, returning the gun to the collection on the table.

"Thanks, Jack," Caitlyn smiled as she left the weapons room. "I don't really want to have to use a gun, but I guess it's necessary to know how to. I've dealt with gun victims at the hospital, and it's awful."

"Exactly," Jack replied. "I'd love to see someone who got through their time at Torchwood without using one, but it's not happened yet."

"Do you shoot a lot of people?" Caitlyn felt obliged to ask.

"More than we'd like," Jack admitted, escorting her towards the cog door that connected the Hub to the false tourist information office they used as a front. Dante was already ahead of them, seemingly desperate to leave. "But most aren't exactly people. We shoot Weevils when we have to, and other aliens. Sometimes it's the only way. Now you go get a good rest, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Aren't you going home too?" Caitlyn asked.

Jack shook his head. "I've got to put the guns away first. I'll see you tomorrow."

Gwen's initial impression of Tessa's flat was that it was a much poorer version of her own. The walls were undecorated, and a tattered sofa was the only thing besides the tiny TV in the living room. Sat on the sofa were two women.

"Hey, I'm Gwen Williams," she smiled. "Tessa invited me over."

"The doctor," the younger of the two women turned around. "I'm Corinne, by the way. You've got to help my mum."

"I'm not a doctor," Gwen sighed. "I'm Special Ops, but I'll try and help."

"Thanks," Corinne smiled. It was obvious from her face that she'd been crying. "Mum's gone really weird."

Gwen crouched down in front of the older woman, who was staring blankly at the wall. "I'm Gwen. Can you tell me your name, love?"

"It's Eve," Tessa supplied.

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Ok, Eve, can you tell me what year this is? No, Tessa, let her talk," she added as the teenager opened her mouth.

"They are coming," Eve said flatly.

"Who are coming?" Gwen asked, placing a hand gently on Eve's knee.

"They are coming," she repeated.

"That's all she's been saying," Tessa explained, panicked. "Whatever you ask her, that's all she'll say. Can you help her, Gwen?"

"Has she been like this before?" Gwen asked.

Corinne shook her head. "She's only started acting like it since _EastEnders_ finished. Tessa's obsessed with it. I asked Mum to pass us the telly magazine but she just started saying that."

"Alright," Gwen smiled. "I'm just going to make a phone call, ok? I know someone who might be able to help."

"You can help her?" Tessa asked, eyes wide.

Gwen shook her head. "I said might, not will." She pulled out her mobile phone and speed-dialled Jack. He picked up after just two rings. "Hey, Jack, I've got something you might be interested in."

"Oh yeah?" Jack's familiar voice entered her ear.

"It's my neighbour," Gwen explained. "She's constantly repeating the same thing, 'They are coming'."

"I'll be right over," Jack told her. "Which apartment number?"

"17," Gwen said, before turning back to a confused Corinne and Tessa. "Jack's coming over. He's a good friend of mine who knows what to do."

Tessa bit her lip. "What if she stays like this forever?"

Corinne hugged her younger sister. "She won't," she soothed. Then she glanced up at Gwen. "Will she?"

Gwen looked at the bare floorboard, refusing to answer the question. She didn't want to lie to the girls, but she didn't want to panic them either. "I don't know," she finally admitted. "I don't know what's going on."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Dante huffed as he unlocked the front door to his house. He didn't live too far from Cardiff Bay, and he hadn't really cleared his head properly on the short walk back to Butetown. He hoped his father wasn't in; he wasn't really in the mood for yet another lecture about the dangers of working for Torchwood, and the many faults of Captain Jack Harkness, a list currently stretching to 53 reasons and rising almost daily.

"I'm back," Dante called, throwing his jacket over the banister and making his way upstairs. "I've got work to do; call me when it's dinnertime."

"You missed dinner," Tunde Devyn, Chief Inspector at Cardiff's central police station, called up the stairs to his son. "Come down here for a minute; I want to show you something."

"If it's yet another illustration of why you hate Jack, I'm not interested," Dante retorted.

"It's not," Tunde replied. "It's your mother and sister."

Dante immediately raced to the bottom of the stairs. "What's happened to them?"

"I don't know," Tunde sighed, leading his son into the living room. Rosa and Daisha were sat on the sofa side by side, repeating the same monotonous phrase in unison.

"They are coming."

"Who are coming?" Dante asked, crouching in front of the two entranced females. "Mum? Daisha? Who's coming?"

"They are coming," came the response. "They are coming."

Dante looked up at his father, his eyes filled with pain. "Dad, something's possessed them."

"Not this alien crap again," Tunde sighed. "Harkness has put things into your head again, hasn't he?"

"It's not alien crap, it's real," Dante insisted, standing up. "I know you hate him, but he's my boss now and I believe what he tells me."

"What did you do at work today?" Tunde asked.

"You know I can't talk about it, Dad," Dante rolled his eyes. "How many times have I told you? I'm not allowed; it's secret stuff."

"How do I know he's not recruiting you into a terrorist cult?" Tunde quizzed. "Dan, you're my son and I care about you. You know that. I don't trust Harkness, and I definitely don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not the one who's been hurt," Dante reminded his father. "Mum and Daish are, and we need to help them. I'm going to ring Jack." He reached for the phone, but Tunde swiped his hand away.

"You'll do no such thing," Tunde frowned. "This is our business, and you are not bringing that man into this house. Do you understand me?"

"But he can help," Dante insisted. "Dad, he's a good man really. He knows what he's doing."

"No," Tunde decided. "We'll sort this out, without Harkness."

"We'll need to get him involved at some point," Dante muttered to himself. "We'll have to. I don't think anyone else knows what to do." He bent down and touched his sister's knee gently. "Don't worry, Daish. I won't let whatever's taken over you win."

xxx

Ianto entered the Hub, expecting to hear Jack's voice berating the two trainees in the weapons room. Instead, he was greeted by an eerie silence. He walked through the building, his footsteps echoing as he paced along the narrow corridor which led to the shooting range. It was empty of people, but guns were still out on the table. It wasn't like Jack to leave weapons out when the Hub was empty. Replacing the Bluetooth earpiece he'd removed to visit Hopper, Ianto attempted to communicate with his boss.

"Jack, where the hell are you? I'm back from the church, and there's nothing on the readings."

"Nothing?" Jack echoed. "Yan, are you sure?"

"Positive," Ianto replied. "Unless the machine's broken, and I'm fairly certain it's working perfectly." He paused, and then added, "But that still doesn't tell me why I came back to an empty Hub."

"It's Gwen's night off, and I was training Caitlyn and Dante with the guns until the kid stressed out and I sent them both home," Jack explained. "I'm on my way to Gwen's now. She says her neighbour's showing signs like the others."

"They are coming?" Ianto guessed, repeating the phrase that had baffled him over the last two days.

"I'd assume so," Jack replied. "I was so sure that we'd linked it back to the church, but if there are no readings coming up, we'd better start looking elsewhere."

"By _we_, I assume you mean me," Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Of course," Jack laughed. "Yan, I'll see what I can find out from Gwen's neighbour. It might give us a new lead."

Jack ended the conversation, and Ianto cursed to himself. He'd hoped for some success with the church visit, yet all he'd acquired was the taste of poorly-made coffee in his mouth. Frustrated, he reached for one of the loaded pistols on the table. Three sets of earmuffs and goggles were next to it, and Ianto put on the protective gear quickly, before sending a round of bullets through the head of a target Weevil.

Nine rounds later, Ianto headed up to the Hub's kitchen. He'd developed a sudden desire for a mug of coffee; made by his own hands, not the disgusting stuff Hopper had served him. The vicar might know more about religion than Ianto, but nobody could outshine the Torchwood employee in the coffee-making stakes.

As he settled down at the computer, mug in hand, Ianto sighed. He had a feeling it was going to be rather a long night. Something strange was going on at Saint Owen's Church, Ianto was certain. But what was Hopper's involvement, and did it relate to the number of people who appeared to be in a trance, all chanting the same phrase. _They are coming_. And whoever they were, Ianto was certain they wouldn't go down without a fight.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jack strode along the corridor, his long military style coat billowing out behind him. He knew which flat was Gwen's; he'd been there several times, but he'd never met any of her neighbours. Counting the flat numbers under his breath as he walked, he couldn't help but think about Ianto. The young man had recently tried to teach Jack Welsh after it transpired that the Torchwood boss was now the only team member not fluent in the language, but Jack really couldn't take Ianto seriously as a teacher. The only word he could remember was _cariad_. Sweetheart. Ianto had whispered it so often in Jack's ear that it was virtually impossible for the older man to forget.

"Jack!" Gwen's voice cut into his thoughts. "Number seventeen; you've just walked past it."

Jack looked up at the nearest door. Number nineteen. How had he walked past the open door, especially as he had been counting to himself? Shrugging, he spoke into his earpiece.

"I was on my way to your flat, Gwen," he lied. Entering number seventeen, Jack took a step backwards. It was only a few flats away from Gwen's, yet it looked entirely different. Whilst Gwen and Rhys took pride in their stylish furniture, it seemed the family who lived here bought theirs from a jumble sale.

"About time," Gwen greeted her boss. She was seated, cross-legged, on the bare wooden floor in front of the three females on the sofa. "Tessa, Corinne, this is Jack."

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack turned on his flirty smile. "Now then, ladies, what seems to be the problem?"

"My mum," Corinne explained. "It's like she's hypnotised or something. You've got to help her, Jack. Promise me you'll help her."

"I'll do what I can," Jack told her. He crouched down in front of Eve, taking her hand in his. "Right, Mrs..."

"Newman," Tessa cut in. "Our surname's Newman, Mr Harkness."

"Captain Harkness," Jack corrected her, "but Jack'll do."

"They are coming," Eve announced suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Jack asked, leaning backwards on his heels slightly.

"She does that," Tessa explained. "It's scary. Please, just get my mum back to normal." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she sniffled.

Gwen reached out a hand to Tessa's. "We'll do our best."

The teenager nodded and took it, trembling. "I know you will. I just hope your best's enough to save her. She's all we've got. It's just me and Corinne and Mum."

"Do you know who's coming?" Jack asked. "You say they're coming. Who are they?"

"They are coming," Eve repeated.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Jack, it's no good. She won't respond to anything else. I've already tried."

"Well, there must be some way of getting through to them," Jack frowned.

"Them?" Corinne asked. "There's others like Mum? Surely you must be able to find a cure, if there are other people acting the same way."

"It's not as easy as that," Gwen replied quietly. "We've tried, but all we can conclude is that it is some form of hypnosis."

"You don't think you can do anything, do you?" Tessa snapped. "I thought you'd be able to help, but you're no better than anyone else. Nobody ever helps us."

Jack stood up, angered. "Listen to me," he said, in his deep American voice, trying to work out the best way to be authoritative but not frightening. "Your mom isn't the only one who's been hurt. We've got plenty of other cases to be looking at, yet we're here. So do the decent thing, and let us do our jobs. Ok?"

Tessa had no other response than to agree.

xxxxx

Ianto typed rapidly at the keyboard, bringing up a list of names of people who Torchwood had dealt with in the last two days. There had to be some sort of link between them; some reason why they, and not others, were being affected by whatever it was that had entranced many of Cardiff's residents.

Jack had considered bringing the affected to the Hub, but the sheer amount of people compared to the space to look after them, combined with family members' reluctance, led to this idea being scrapped. But not before data was put on to the Torchwood computers. Every single reading and observation made was recorded on the complex system, as well as links to each individual's personal profile, giving details not even the most advanced Government technology could pick up.

It was this data Ianto was scanning, memorising the names and trying to work out the connection between them. Vicky Hammond, Edward McAvoy, Maddy O'Neil, Barney Keane, Gareth Morgan, Lowri Davis... the list stretched to over twenty names already. They ranged from teenagers to retired pensioners, with no seemingly logical link.

Ianto opened up Lowri Davis' personal profile. All of her personal details were on there: 47 years old, single, worked as a receptionist for a local accountancy firm. One thing on there, however, jumped out at him. Lowri was a regular member of the congregation at Saint Owen's Church.

Out of curiosity, Ianto opened up Gareth Morgan's profile and scanned it. He, too, attended the same church. Edward McAvoy's profile said the same. One by one, Ianto checked all the profiles of the people on the list. Every single one of them had been to Saint Owen's Church at least once within the last month. He'd known there was something funny about it, and now he had reason to suspect Hopper was up to something sinister. It had to be more than coincidence.

Ianto activated his earpiece. "Jack, I've found a link."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Caitlyn pulled out her headphones as she unlocked the front door to her flat. She'd jogged all the way from Cardiff Bay to Splott, like she did most days now she worked for Torchwood. It helped keep her fit and ready for pursuing any alien that happened to cross her path. Jack had told her from the very start that she needed to be physically fit, and she didn't really have much time for the gym with her irregular shift patterns.

She walked through to her kitchen and turned the kettle on. The faint murmuring of the television indicated the presence of Caitlyn's flatmate, Tamwen Evans, who Caitlyn had met in medical school.

"Tam, do you want a drink? I'm putting the kettle on," she called out, opening the cupboard and taking out a flowery mug. There was no response, so Caitlyn went into the living room.

Tamwen was sat in a black leather armchair, rigidly upright. Caitlyn frowned; her flatmate was the scruffiest, slouchiest person she knew. And that even included her brother, Kai, who, as a teenager, had a bedroom that was deemed out of bounds due to endless clutter.

"Tam?" Caitlyn asked, tapping the woman on the shoulder.

"They are coming," Tamwen replied monotonously.

Caitlyn gasped, and shook Tamwen's shoulder. "Snap out of this, Tam. Nobody's coming."

"They are coming," Tamwen repeated.

Caitlyn crouched down in front of her flatmate and waved in front of her eyes. "They've got you, too. But I don't know who they are." Reaching in her pocket for her mobile, she speed-dialled Jack. "There's someone else been affected," she told him.

"Caitlyn, where are you?" Jack asked.

"I'm at home. It's my flatmate, Tamwen. She's saying the whole 'they are coming' trance thing. I don't know what to do."

"Is there anyone else who lives there?"

"Just us," Caitlyn replied. "Why? Jack, what are you going to do? What should I do?"

"Get her to the Hub," Jack decided. "I'll be there as soon as I can. Ianto's probably there; get your flatmate into a cell."

"Why?" Caitlyn asked. "She hasn't done anything wrong."

"It's the safest place for her," Jack sighed. "We can run tests on her when Gwen and I get there."

Caitlyn heard Gwen's voice protest something in the background, then the line cut off.

"Right then, Tamwen," Caitlyn said, although she doubted the woman understood her. "Don't struggle. I'm taking you to the Hub. They'll help you."

Xxx

Dante paced the length of his hallway for the twenty-seventh time, hands behind his head. Fed up with his father's constant slating of Torchwood, he'd left the room where his sister and mother were sat, entranced, on the sofa. He knew Torchwood could help them, but Tunde's resistance to let his son take charge meant that they were no better off than they had been when Tunde first found them in that state.

At least now Dante knew how to fire a gun. He reassured himself with that fact as Tunde walked into the hallway. If anyone tried to harm his family now, they would have to fight him first. And naturally, he'd shoot them before they came anywhere near.

"There's no improvement," Tunde said quietly, hands in pockets.

Dante nodded. "I didn't think there would be. Look, Dad, we need to do something. If you won't let Jack come here, at least let me take them to Jack."

Tunde frowned. "You're not seriously suggesting we take them to Harkness' place, are you?"

Dante shook his head. "Take them to the Hub." Seeing his father's confused expression, he continued. "It's where we work. There's loads of equipment there; we'll be able to find something to help them."

"And what will I do?"

"Come in, of course." Dante knew he was taking a massive gamble, but he didn't care. Jack's reaction when he found out Tunde had been in the Hub would be nothing compared to how Dante would feel if Daisha and Rosa were to die and he hadn't done anything to try and help them.

Tunde scratched at his ear. "I guess so. But you know how I feel about Harkness."

"You hate him. You think he's an arrogant Yank who's too full of himself and needs bringing down to Earth with a bump," Dante reeled off. "I know, Dad. But think of Mum and Daisha. Please, it's worth a try. If Torchwood can't do anything for them, nobody can."

"And you're Torchwood." Tunde sighed. "Alright, son. I trust you, even if I don't trust Harkness. I guess we'd better get them into the car."

Dante smiled. It had taken the best part of a month to try and convince Tunde of the benefits of Torchwood, and it seemed the policeman had finally been persuaded. He just wished it had been in better circumstances.

Tunde headed into the living room as Dante walked towards the front door. The car keys sat on the table in the hallway, and he picked them up. Opening first the front door then the car, he made his way back to help his father carry Daisha and Rosa into the black Honda.

Once both women were settled in the back, Dante climbed into the passenger seat. Tunde stood outside.

"Aren't you coming, Dad?" Dante asked.

Tunde nodded. "But you're driving. You know where you're going, and somehow I don't think Torchwood would show up on the sat nav."

Dante chuckled as he climbed over. "Alright, just no comments on my driving ability. You're forgetting I haven't taken the police advanced driving course like you."

"As if I'd ever do that," Tunde grinned.

Dante smiled to himself as he reversed out of the drive. Whatever the problem with Rosa and Daisha, at least his relationship with Tunde was back to how it had been before Torchwood. This was, Dante decided, the one good thing to come out of a rather bad day. He was suddenly filled with a new sense of determination. Somehow, he was going to save Rosa and Daisha. And somehow, he was going to prove himself worthy of being a Torchwood operative.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ianto wasn't expecting anyone to return to the Hub, so hearing the cog door opening was a shock. Placing his coffee mug down, he stood up to greet the visitor.

"Jack, do you want me to track down these people?" he called out. He couldn't see who was arriving, but Jack was the only member of Torchwood who had any reason to return to work.

"Hey there, Yan," a female voice replied. "Jack said you'd probably be here. Don't you two ever go home?"

"Sometimes I stay the night," Ianto replied, blushing. "It depends how much paperwork needs doing. What are you doing back anyway, Caitlyn?" He walked across the Hub and saw the doctor had been crying. There was another woman beside her, who looked entranced. "Who's this?"

Caitlyn let go of the woman's waist, and she immediately lost her balance. Ianto ran over and helped prop her up.

"This is Tamwen," Caitlyn explained. "She's my flatmate. She's been affected by that whole 'they are coming' business."

Ianto nodded. He looked the young woman up and down. She reminded him of Lisa, before the Cybermen came and destroyed her. A tear came to his eye, and he blinked it away.

"What did Jack say to do with her?"

"Vaults," Caitlyn replied. "I don't want to lock her up, but he's the boss and I have to do what he says. We don't know if Tam's dangerous."

Ianto frowned. "She doesn't look dangerous to me. In fact, she looks..." He paused, searching for the appropriate word. "Vulnerable. Yes, I'd say that was the right word. Are you two particularly close?"

"Med school," Caitlyn explained. "Now Jack wants me to run tests on her. I can't use my mate as a guinea pig, Ianto. It's not right."

Ianto shook his head. "Let's put her in the Vaults, anyway. It's for the best, Caitlyn."

"I know," Caitlyn whispered, her voice shaking. She helped Tamwen walk through the Hub, knowing sadly that the entranced woman wouldn't need retconning as she wouldn't remember a thing anyway.

Ianto unlocked one of the cells and watched, arms folded, as Caitlyn sat Tamwen down and made her comfortable. Tears rolled down Caitlyn's face as she exited the cell and shut the door, looking over her shoulder at her entranced flatmate.

"I didn't join Torchwood to lock up my friends," she sobbed, grabbing a stunned Ianto by the collar and sobbing into his shirt.

"Sometimes things happen that we don't like," Ianto told her sadly. Memories of Lisa, Toshiko and Owen – the people he'd loved and lost - flooded his mind, and it was all he could do not to join Caitlyn in crying. "We just have to deal with it. Torchwood goes on while the world's falling down."

"But it's stupid!" Caitlyn thumped her fist against Ianto's chest.

He winced. "Calm down, Caitlyn. How about I go and make us some coffee and then we'll sit down and work out how to save Tamwen. Does that sound alright to you?"

Caitlyn nodded, and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

"Right then," Ianto said, leaving the Vaults and hoping Caitlyn was following. "Coffee." He walked up the stairs into the Hub's main room and was surprised to hear voices. He called out. "Who's there?"

A murmured curse was followed by a more distinguishable greeting. "It's Dante. What are you doing here? I thought you were out."

"I came back to do some filing," Ianto said, only half-lying. It was what he would have almost inevitably ended up doing, had he not been disturbed. "Anyway, I could ask you the same question."

Dante came into Ianto's line of sight, and it was obvious the young man was not alone. The teenage girl in his arms told Ianto that something was seriously wrong.

"Who's this, son?" a man Ianto didn't recognise asked.

"Ianto Jones," Dante introduced. "He's the administrative person. Kind of like what I was doing at the hospital, but more secretive stuff. Ianto, this is my dad, Tunde."

Ianto stepped towards the Devyns. "Pleased to meet you," he smiled, offering his hand. Too late he realised Tunde was incapable of shaking it. He was, like Dante, holding a woman in his arms.

"Mum and Daisha got affected," Dante offered by way of explanation. "I didn't know what else to do, so I brought them here. I was hoping we'd be able to find a cure."

"But you didn't bank on there being anyone here," Caitlyn finished the sentence as she walked up behind Ianto. "Still, there's four of us here now. We'll find a way of saving them."

"Ahem." Ianto interrupted. "Dante, take them down to the Vaults. You'll find there's a woman already down there. I'll just get us all some coffee, and we'll work out a plan. Of course, we can't do anything until Jack gets back."

Three sets of angry eyes glared at him, and Ianto gulped. He wasn't going to win this one.

"Alright," he conceded. "Coffee first, anyway."

Making his way for the second time towards the kitchen, he activated his earpiece. "Jack?"

"Teaboy?" Jack's familiar drawl was somewhat reassuring to the Welshman, and Ianto allowed himself a smile. "Is Caitlyn with you yet?"

"Yeah," Ianto replied. "Her flatmate's in a cell. Dante's brought his sister and mother in, too. They've been affected by the thing sweeping Cardiff."

"Get them into a cell, too," Jack commanded. "Then stay away. The woman Gwen and I are with now is screaming manically. I think it's the next symptom."

"I'll tell the others," Ianto told his boss. "Jack, I-"

"Ianto?" Jack asked, confused by the abrupt silence. "Talk to me, Yan."

Ianto recited three words Jack didn't want to hear. "They are coming."

"Stop pissing about, Yan," Jack sighed. "You of all people should know better than to joke in a time like this."

It took Ianto repeating the phrase three more times for Jack to realise his employee wasn't messing around.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

When Jack turned back to Gwen, his face was pale with fear.

"They've got Ianto," he told her. "I'm going back to the Hub." He stood up and began to walk out of the room.

Gwen chased after him. "You're not leaving without me," she declared. "We'll take Eve back with us, and hopefully we'll be able to find a cure."

"No," Jack was defiant. "Gwen, you stay here. It's your night off; you don't need to come back to the Hub. Stay with Eve, or go back to your own flat and do whatever you were planning to do with Rhys. You don't need to come back to the Hub."

Gwen cornered him out in the hallway. "I don't need to, or you don't want me to? Which is it, Jack? You don't want Ianto to get hurt, so why don't you let me come and help you? We might be able to save him."

"Or we might not," Jack snapped. "We might not be able to save any of them. You know that." He headed out of the flat, allowing the door to slam behind him.

Gwen was angry. She cared for Ianto like he was her brother, and now Jack was denying her the chance to help him. Both of them knew it was possible that Ianto would die; at least, he would if they couldn't find a cure.

It was then that Gwen realised what Jack meant. He thought Ianto wouldn't be able to be saved, and he didn't want Gwen to see Ianto die. He wanted to save Gwen the pain of seeing yet another colleague succumb to death.

But Gwen wasn't the type to give up easily.

She entered the living room once more, deafened by Eve's screaming. Trying to ignore the noise, she helped the woman up.

"Come on," Gwen said, heaving her neighbour to her feet. "Tessa, Corinne; I'm going to take your mum someplace we can help her."

"She's going to die, isn't she?" Corinne asked, shaking. "Please, Gwen, you've got to tell us the truth."

"I don't know," Gwen finally confessed. "She might die. But I'm going to try and save her. We don't know what's caused this. It might be impossible. I'm sorry."

Tessa launched herself at Gwen, tearfully punching at her chest. "You said Jack would help her. He's gone, and Mum's got worse. I thought we could trust you, Gwen. Now you want to take Mum away from us. Well, if she dies, she dies with me and Cori with her. OK?"

"Alright," Gwen soothed the teenager. She stroked Tessa's tangled hair and allowed her to sob into her shoulder.

Dante closed the door to the Vaults and made his way slowly along the corridor. Caitlyn and Tunde had gone ahead of him; Dante had insisted there was no need for them to stay. But he wanted to be the one to take control. He knew Jack had lost faith in the teenager's ability to cope under pressure, and now Dante wanted to change his boss' perception.

Tunde was leaning against the wall by the door, hands deep in the back pockets of his jeans. He smiled as his son appeared, and stood up straight.

"Nice place you work at," he remarked.

Dante nodded. "Do you want the guided tour?"

"Dante," Caitlyn warned. "If Ianto comes back and sees you gone, you'll be in trouble."

"Stuff Ianto," Dante shrugged. "He's always sucking up to Jack. You know, I swear that guy never even farts. Mr I-look-good-in-a-suit-and-I've-got-the-brains-to-go-with-it-too. If he catches me, I'll be kind of happy. I'd like to see his reaction, to be honest. "

Caitlyn folded her arms. "It's your decision," she sighed, "but don't whinge if Jack kicks you out of Torchwood. You know the rules, and unless you're planning to Retcon your old man, you shouldn't be showing him around."

"Gwen's husband knows," Dante argued. "He's been here; don't you remember? The day we joined, he was here. I can't see me showing my dad about being any different."

"Your call," Caitlyn frowned. "But I'm not covering for you when Ianto comes back."

"Just say I took my dad to the toilet or something," Dante begged. "You know I'd do the same for you. Please?"

Caitlyn sighed. "Go on then," she agreed reluctantly. She turned to Tunde. "You'd better enjoy it."

Tunde nodded. "Alright, son," he smiled. "Let me see where you work."

Dante led his father through the Hub, pointing out different places with enthusiasm. Tunde was noticeably interested; and Dante supposed it was something preoccupying his mind and stopping him from worrying about Daisha and Rosa down in the Vaults. Dante, too, wanted desperately to forget about the fate awaiting his sister and mother. He was Torchwood now, which meant he couldn't sit around moping. He had to do something.

He knew Caitlyn would keep an eye on the three affected females. He had total confidence in his colleague. His bigger concern was that Tunde would tell him to leave Torchwood, which was what the tour hoped to erase.

Walking past the kitchen, he hoped Ianto was no longer in there. However, the Welshman was standing, staring into the hallway. Dante gulped.

"Wait there," he told Tunde, before entering the kitchen. He walked over to the smartly dressed man, who hadn't reacted at all to the presence of another. "Ianto, do you want a hand carrying the coffee?"

"They are coming," Ianto replied monotonously.

Dante let out an ear-piercing scream.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jack sped back to the Hub, not caring that he was driving at double the speed limit. The police wouldn't be able to trace the Torchwood SUV, and he was desperate to get to Ianto. The young man needed Jack's help, and fast.

Half of him hoped Caitlyn was at the Hub. He didn't want Ianto to be alone and suffering the same way Eve had. Yet the other half wanted to protect Caitlyn from the horrors Torchwood faced. He liked the new doctor, whatever her past errors. Of course, she wasn't the same as Owen, and nowhere near as good as _the_ Doctor, but she was a good employee.

His other new employee was quite a contrast to Toshiko. Both were technical whizzes, but that was where the similarity ended. Whereas Toshiko had been the quiet, hard-working type, Dante was a bubbly teenager who was too often found on Facebook when he thought nobody else was looking. Of course, Jack had never let on about the fact that all CCTV cameras could be viewed from his office. It was all the more fun to watch Dante scramble for an answer when Jack asked what he was doing.

Gwen seemed to have recovered from her ordeal at the hands of Caitlyn, and was back to her usual bossy self. The second-in-command at Torchwood Three was relishing in her role in taking the two newcomers under her wing, and Jack was pleased. It meant Jack and Ianto had more time to spend together.

It was Ianto who preyed on Jack's mind as he drove across Cardiff. The young employee had only just recovered from the injuries he sustained last month in the car park, and to have been affected by aliens again in such a short space of time – if Jack didn't know better, he would have thought there was someone trying to punish him by hurting Ianto.

Pulling into the car park where all the Torchwood vehicles were kept, Jack ran to the Hub. His long coat tail trailed behind him in the wind, and he didn't care that he was getting strange looks from members of the public. The only thing he cared about at that moment in time was in the Hub, suffering from the effects of a mystery alien or alien-based substance. Jack didn't know what had affected Ianto, Eve and the others, but he was going to find out, and stop it. He owed that much to Ianto.

Xxx

Dante stared in shock as Ianto stood, motionless but repeating the three words that drilled fear into the teenager. He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his mop of dark curly hair, trying to convince himself it was a dream. But opening his eyes, he knew this was reality.

It was a reality he hadn't even dreamt of a month ago. But ever since Torchwood had come into his life, nothing was the same as before. Nothing would ever be the same again.

"What's wrong, son?" Tunde's deep voice brought Dante back to reality with a bump. "Who's this, then? One of your colleagues? How come you don't wear a suit for work, and he does?"

Dante turned to his father and frowned. "This is Ianto Jones. Yes, he works with me. He wears it because he chooses to, and Jack says it suits him. No pun intended there, by the way. But the same thing that got Mum and Daish has got him, too. Whatever it is, I don't think any of us are safe."

Tunde narrowed his eyebrows. "Right, get him down to the cells."

"The Vaults," Dante corrected.

Tunde shrugged. "Whatever. Then me, you and Caitlyn are finding a cure. This can't go on for any longer. And stuff Harkness; he'll appreciate my help or he's worse than I thought." His police training appeared to be taking over, and for once, Dante was thankful.

"He'll appreciate it all right," Dante replied. He neglected to mention that if Ianto hadn't been affected, Jack's appreciation would be nowhere near as much. Some things were best not told to Tunde.

He walked over to Ianto and removed the coffee mugs from his hands. "Come on," Dante told him, "You're coming with me."

Xxx

Jack burst into the Hub, and was stunned by the sight. Dante and an older man were carrying Ianto through the building. Jack shouted his boyfriend's name, startling the two men who were helping him to the Vaults.

"Jack," Dante stammered, stopping when he heard his boss' voice. "It's not what it looks like."

"I know what happened," Jack said sadly. "I heard him over the comms. The Vaults are the safest place for him. Gwen's staying with her neighbour, so it's just the two, no; I suppose three of us to save them."

"Caitlyn's here, too," Dante contributed.

"I included Caitlyn," Jack retorted.

"Oh." Dante looked from Jack to Tunde and back again.

"I suppose your dad could help us, if we need it," Jack added reluctantly. "Just get Ianto to safety, and bring Caitlyn up here."

"Who's going to keep an eye on them?" Dante asked nervously.

Jack rolled his eyes. "This place is full of CCTV. Don't tell me you didn't realise that."

Dante blushed, and hurried off. "I'll go get Caitlyn."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Gwen was pacing anxiously up and down the hallway in the Newmans' flat. Tessa was in her bedroom, sobbing hysterically into her pillow, whilst Eve was screaming. Gwen was beginning to get a headache, but she knew she couldn't give up on her neighbour now.

Corinne emerged from the kitchen with two mugs of steaming tea in her hand, and gave one to Gwen.

"Thanks," she smiled as she sipped it. She had no idea what to say; how do you talk to a teenager whose mother might die because of an alien phenomenon sweeping Cardiff? Then a thought crossed her mind. "Can I use your computer?"

"What for?" Corinne asked, nervously.

"I want to check something up," Gwen reassured her. "I think it might be able to help your mum."

Corinne nodded. "I'll go load it up. If it'll help her, I'll do anything." She hurried off, and Gwen followed. She'd had an idea, but she wasn't sure if it would work. She took out her mobile, and called Dante.

"What's up, Gwen?" the young man asked, seemingly annoyed.

"Can you email me all the data on the people who were affected?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm stuck away from the Hub and I feel bloody useless at the moment, while the rest of you are there actually doing stuff to help." Gwen realised she probably sounded too angry, and softened her tone. "Please?"

"Alright," Dante sighed. "Give me a couple of minutes."

Gwen grinned as she ended the call.

"I've loaded up the computer," Corinne called.

"Great," Gwen said as she walked into the room. "Thanks a lot, Corinne. I appreciate this."

Corinne nodded, and pulled out the black desk chair obligingly. "What is it you want to do?"

Gwen frowned. "I can't exactly say. Official Secrets Act and all that." Then, after sitting down and accessing her email, she brought up a spreadsheet file. Most of Torchwood's documents were accessible from the most basic of home computers; a detail Gwen had never quite understood but now thankful for.

The data Dante had sent her contained the details of all the people charted to be affected by the unknown illness. A quick count told her that twenty five people, not including Eve or those at the Hub, could potentially die from whatever it was. And Gwen wasn't about to let that happen.

The link was obvious, now that she had all the data in front of her. It didn't take many internet searches to confirm her suspicions; that Saint Owen's Church was the connection. And Ianto had gone over there earlier, which was why-

Standing up, she sent the chair wheeling back across the room. "I'm going out," she declared loudly.

"You can't go!" Tessa insisted, running towards her. "You've got to help my mum!"

"I think I know where she caught it from," Gwen explained. "Has she been to Saint Owen's Church recently?"

Corinne nodded. "She goes there quite a bit since we've moved in. The vicar, Sam Hopper, he does this counselling thing for her. She's been really upset since Dad-"

Tessa interrupted her. "Do you think that's what caused it? The church, I mean?"

"I don't know," Gwen admitted, "but I think so. I'm going to go down there and check it out. I'll be back to check on your mum later."

Logging out of the computer, Gwen hurried back to her flat. She fumbled her key in the lock, and headed over to the kitchen area where her handbag had been dumped on the side.

"Hey, love," Rhys smiled, calling out from the sofa. He'd put his shirt back on and was lounging about, watching an old comedy show that both he and Gwen liked. "What are you looking for?"

"Car keys," Gwen announced. "I need to get across town. Work business."

Rhys stood up and pulled on his tattered trainers. "Hold on, I'm coming with you."

Xxx

Dante, Caitlyn and Tunde stood around the medical area, while Jack paced up and down, noticeably agitated.

"So what's the plan, Harkness?" Tunde felt obliged to ask.

"Caitlyn, get blood samples and analyse them for anomalies. Dante, I want you to check hospital records for any similar symptoms, and what they're treating patients with. Tunde, just make yourself useful."

"And what are you going to do?"

"What I always do," Jack told the police officer with a laugh. "Stand here and look sexy."

"Maybe I could get onto my contacts at the police station and see if there's been any reports," Tunde suggested hopefully. The American was still, in his opinion, as annoying as the previous time they'd met; an unfortunate incident which involved Jack tipping water over Tunde's head. He relished the chance to get even at the Torchwood boss, but while his wife and daughter were in danger, revenge wasn't the most important thing on his mind. He would get back at Harkness when Rosa and Daisha were safe.

Hurrying off to their respective work areas, the two new Torchwood employees left Jack and Tunde alone. There was an awkward silence between the two men, until Jack broke it.

"We've got a common goal right now, so no trying to get revenge on me until after we've saved everyone. There's two kids doing their best to save Cardiff, and we need to make it as easy on them as possible."

Tunde nodded, not sure what to say. "I just hope they can do it," he said eventually.

Jack nodded. "Believe me, so do I."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rhys sat in the passenger seat as Gwen sped across town, ignoring every red light much to his frustration. He'd told her to slow down, but was told she'd get no speeding fine as Torchwood would simply delete any record of it from police computers. Rhys rolled his eyes at this, remembering how only a couple of years earlier Gwen was in the police force, issuing fines to speeding motorists, and now she was breaking every driving rule in the book, and probably a few that had been left out as well.

Gwen skidded to a halt outside the ancient building of Saint Owen's Church. She'd never been there before, but the Torchwood-issue SatNav had ensured that she got there without any hiccups.

She got out of the car and opened the boot, lifting up the interior rug to reveal a gun, again branded with the capital T that had become synonymous with the Cardiff branch of Torchwood.

"You keep a gun in our car boot?" Rhys asked, appearing behind her. "What else don't I know about? Hand grenades in the bathroom cabinet?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Gwen rolled her eyes. "It's part of the job; you know that just as well as I do. I keep it there just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Rhys asked, but he wasn't expecting an answer. And he didn't get one, for Gwen tucked the gun into the top of her jeans and pulled her jacket round before heading towards the church.

Rhys hurried after his wife, desperate not to be left behind. Despite the fact that he knew what Torchwood did, and that they used guns and other weapons on a daily basis, he was still apprehensive of Gwen possessing and using one in a public place. He was especially apprehensive of her taking a gun into a church.

But then again, it wasn't really his place to question Gwen's behaviour. She knew what she was doing; she'd been trained to use the weapon and he knew she wouldn't fire it unless it was absolutely essential. Torchwood business wasn't his to interfere in, but he could offer his help and support whenever it was needed. He'd proved his worth before, and he was going to do, no doubt, again.

Xxx

Caitlyn hurried down to the Vaults, where the affected people were now screaming. It was the second stage of the infection, or whatever it was – she presumed it was an infection, as a genetic anomaly seemed too unlikely given the circumstances.

She placed the bag containing the needles on the floor and withdrew one. Approaching the first cell, containing Tamwen, she opened it cautiously.

"It's alright," Caitlyn reassured her flatmate. She didn't know if the woman understood, but it was reassuring to herself at least. She felt bad taking blood samples from people who had no choice or way of objecting. She'd dealt with drunk and stoned patients in the hospital, but never anyone in the same way as Tamwen. Injecting the needle into Tamwen's thrashing arm, Caitlyn was eventually able to draw a sample. She hastily retreated, shutting the door and putting the sample back into her bag.

The doctor worked her way along the people in the Vaults, taking samples from Rosa, Daisha and Ianto. It was the latter she felt most sorry for; he'd been injured already during the short time she'd worked at Torchwood, and he was only just fully recovering. And yet again her colleague had succumbed to being the one member of the team to require medical assistance.

Ianto's predicament reminded Caitlyn of the harsh reality of Torchwood: the early deaths that had already claimed Toshiko and Owen; two people she never got the chance to meet but were held in high regard by their colleagues. She knew, all too clearly, that one day it could be her that was being mourned; killed in the line of duty like so many Torchwood operatives before her.

But Caitlyn wasn't going to dwell on that thought, nor on that of anyone else dying. Too many innocent lives were lost on a daily basis, and Caitlyn had no intention of increasing the body count. Nobody was going to die on her shift. Not if she could help it, anyway.

Heading up to the medical area, bag of samples in hand, Caitlyn prepared to analyse. There had to be a blood connection; if not, she, along with the rest of the team, was back at the start. And that wasn't a good place to be.

Xx

Dante hacked into the hospital records with ease. He remembered how, not too long ago, the situation had been reversed, and he had been in the hospital, hacking into Torchwood. He shuddered at the recollection, and tried to distance himself. Remembering his past wasn't going to help with his current task. Or was it?

Picking up his mobile, he dialled the hospital, keeping his number concealed. He was greeted by Maryam, the receptionist who used to take over from Dante when he finished his shift.

"Hello, have you got any screaming patients at the moment?" he asked, adopting an American accent that sounded vaguely like Jack's.

"Who is this?" Maryam asked, disapproval in her voice. "If this is a hoax call, then-"

"Have you got any patients repeating 'they are coming' over and over?" Dante pressed.

"Yes, but- who are you?" Maryam asked.

"Micah Wood," Dante lied. He'd thought out what he considered acrather good alibi. Micah was his middle name that he very rarely admitted to people, because he hated it. Wood was the second half of Torchwood. Dante was rather proud of his creation which he had quickly came up with.

"Ok, Mr Wood. How do you know about what's going on?"

"I'm calling from an international medical corporation that can help you," Dante lied. "How are you treating the patients? With what drugs?"

"Uh..." Maryam paused for a moment. "I'm afraid we're not at liberty to disclose that information. What company do you work for?"

"HUB," Dante thought fast and pronounced each initial clearly. "We're the only people who can help you, trust me."

"Alright," Maryam agreed, and explained everything.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Armed with all the patient information that Maryam had, after much persuasion, emailed him, Dante set about running the data through the computer systems. There had to be a link; that was one thing he was positive about. But biological human make-up wasn't his forte. The only thing he knew about blood was that it made his sister throw up. He remembered teasing her about it when they were children, deliberately making his nosebleeds worse in order to creep out Daisha even more. His mother used to scold him for it, but still the young Dante continued.

Thinking about his family made Dante emotional. It was for their sake he was working through the personal data belonging to ordinary civilians; if they hadn't been affected, he wouldn't be here. It could only be coincidence that three members of the team were at the Hub at the same time, outside of their ordinary working hours. Four, if you counted the incapacitated Ianto down in the Vaults. Gwen was absent, no doubt unaffected by the turn of events. It was, after all, her evening off, and she was probably enjoying it with her husband.

Dante brushed his thoughts aside as something on the screen grabbed his attention. He leaned in closer, disbelieving.

"Caitlyn, come take a look at this."

Xxx

Gwen pushed open the glass door fronting the church confidently. Rhys followed, albeit with more apprehension than his wife. Staking out churches wasn't something he was used to. And if he was honest, he didn't want to get used to it. Gwen handled the danger and action a lot better than he could ever do.

"Anyone here?" Gwen called out.

A thick Welsh accent replied. "We're in the main hall. The group's just started, but just come through and join in."

A quick glance at the notice board told Gwen that the group currently in session was a parent and baby session. She gulped and shot a quick glance at Rhys, who chuckled. She walked into the main hall, where half a dozen women were surrounded by the same number of toddlers. A man was sitting on a chair at the front. His dog-collar gave away his status as the vicar.

Gwen walked over to him and offered her hand. "PC Gwen Cooper," she told him reaching into her jacket pocket to fish out her fake ID. "And this is my colleague, PC Rhys Williams. We're here to make an inspection of your premises."

"Reverend Sam Hopper," the man said, taking Gwen's hand. "What's this inspection in aid of?"

"We had a tip-off that illegal substances were being stored in your kitchen," Gwen lied. "We want to do this quietly, but if you don't comply we'll be forced to bring in a uniformed squad."

Hopper nodded, understanding. "This is a church," he insisted. "You won't find anything illegal here."

"I don't doubt that," Gwen assured him, touching his arm gently. "I'll let you get on with your session, Reverend. I don't want to keep you." She turned to leave, and beckoned Rhys after her.

"You told him we were cops?" Rhys mouthed once they were out of sight.

Gwen nodded. "Naturally. It's the only way. It doesn't look as though those women had anything to eat or drink here yet, so we're safe on that front. Now we've got to search the kitchen."

She pulled out a scanner from her other pocket and ran it across the counter. It beeped louder the closer she got to the cupboard, and she opened it. A brown jar labelled 'coffee' was the only thing that stood on the shelf. She pulled it out and lifted the lid off. The scanner beeped louder.

"Got it!" she gasped, looking inside. What looked like fly larvae, but brown, supplemented the coffee beans. She had no idea what the larvae were, but she guessed Jack would know. Replacing the lid, she turned to Rhys. "We've got to get back to the Hub."

"Do we tell the vicar about this?" he asked.

Gwen shook her head. "Not yet. Out the fire door," she told him, pressing down on the handle to the door at the far end of the kitchen. It led out onto the street, but she didn't expect the alarm to go off. Holding the jar under her arm, she hissed at her husband. "Run!"

They ran towards the vehicle, desperate to get away before Hopper noticed they had taken the coffee jar. Gwen had left the car deliberately unlocked, so once she had got into the driving seat, she passed the jar to Rhys and turned the key in the ignition. They sped off, ignoring the shouting Hopper, who was standing, hands on hips, on the pavement.

"Did we just steal from a church?" Rhys gasped.

"Don't worry," Gwen reassured him. "We'll retcon him later; he won't remember a thing." She chortled. "Coffee, though. I bet Ianto would appreciate that." Her voice faltered at the mention of her colleague, and she slammed down harder on the accelerator. "We've got to save him. We've got to save all of them."

"We will," Rhys reassured her, hoping he was correct. "You've got a good team. Between you, you'll do it. I know you can."

Gwen shook her head as she turned a corner. "Owen and Tosh couldn't save everyone all the time, and they were experts. We've got two new kids who've been with us scarcely a month, and Ianto is out of action. You call that a good team?"

"I've got faith in you."

"Yeah? Well, you're about the only one." There was an unprecedented harshness in her voice, and Rhys was shocked by how low Gwen's opinion of herself had gotten.

"You'll do fine," he told her. "You're Torchwood."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Gwen ran through the cog door before it had even fully opened, clutching the coffee jar tightly. Rhys followed, walking quickly in order to keep up. He didn't know his way around the building totally, but he had a pretty good sense of direction after his several previous visits.

"I've got it!" Gwen shouted, thrusting the jar into Jack's hand, who was down in the autopsy bay with Caitlyn.

"A coffee jar?" Jack stared down at the object. "No offence, Gwen, but Ianto's the one you should be seeing about coffee, not me."

"Take a look inside it," she insisted, opening the lid for Jack. He gasped when he saw what was present.

"Caitlyn, I want a full bio-scan on these organisms, and try to get an identity on them. Gwen, you can help her. I'm going to see what the kid's up to, and check on the Vaults after. Tunde's down there alone."

Jack walked up the short set of steps and across to where Dante was on the computer. He leant against the wall and observed the teenager's work from behind. Sensing someone behind him, Dante turned around.

"Jack? What's up?"

"Keep working," Jack told him with a smile. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Dante nodded and turned back to his screen. "I've found a connection. They've all got some chemical in their blood called R42D. At least, that's what the hospital have identified it as."

"Let me take a look," Jack said, stepping forward and leaning over. "I've never heard that before."

A shout from Caitlyn went up, and Jack rushed back over.

"I've identified them," she declared proudly. "They're coming up on the comuter as Vly."

"Of course!" Jack gasped, slamming his hand down on the medical bed. "How could I not realise?"

"What are they?" Rhys asked, joining his wife's side.

"Vly are host organisms. Their eggs are deposited and grow inside another organism, and when they hatch they head back to their home planet. Think what happened to Gwen at the wedding, but actually considerably safer."

"These things are safe?" Caitlyn asked. "They don't look it to me."

"Oh, they're pretty harmless," Jack explained. "What the people are saying is 'Vly are coming', not 'they are coming.' It's the Vly's birthing call. I remember it happening when I was part of the Time Agency."

"Time Agency?" Rhys echoed, bemused.

"Leave it, I'll explain later," Gwen mouthed at him. He nodded in acceptance.

"And the screaming?" Caitlyn prompted.

"Birthing is taking place," Jack replied, matter-of-factly. "Once it's over, the baby Vly will teleport back to its home planet, Xequdo. The hosts will be unharmed, apart from temporary nausea."

"How do we help them?" Caitlyn asked.

"We don't. We can't. We just wait for them to sick up the Vly and then retcon everyone involved."

"Can't we plant a false story about dodgy food or something?" Gwen frowned. "I don't fancy drugging half of Cardiff."

"Could do," Jack pondered. "Now you mention it, it might be easier. I'll come up with something, and get Dante to plug it into the system. Create a couple of press leaks and all that."

"And what do we do now?" Rhys asked.

"We wait."

Xxx

After Jack had instructed Dante to plant a false story in several newsrooms, the team, plus Rhys, headed down to the Vaults. After having been assured that there was nothing more that could be done, it was mutually agreed that supporting those acting as Vly hosts would be the best plan of action. Rhys and Gwen had agreed to head home once they had checked on Ianto and the others, to make sure Eve and her daughters were alright.

On entering the Vaults, the four were almost deafened by screams of varying pitches. Tunde was sitting on the floor outside his wife's cell, with his daughter in the one next door. Dante walked over to him and placed a caring hand on his shoulder.

"They'll be alright," he reassured the policeman. "Jack says once they throw up the Vly then they'll be back to normal with no side effects."

"I bet he does," Tunde muttered under his breath. He looked over in Jack's direction, who was standing outside Ianto's cell with a look of desperation on his face.

"Dad," Dante hissed. "Jack's not that bad. Why won't you accept that?"

"Would he be standing outside the cell like that if it was anyone else in there?"

"Of course! We're all part of the same team."

"Have you seen the way he looks at that lad though? It's like he's in love with him or something."

"They are together, you know."

The whispered conversation was brought to a close by Dante's comment.

"I'm not sure I want you working with someone like that." Tunde frowned.

"What?" Dante leant against the wall in disbelief, not bothering to whisper any more. "Dad, you're such a hypocrite. You were banging on about equal opportunities in the police force not long ago; I remember you preparing that speech. And now you're homophobic against two of my friends. 'Cause they are my friends, not just my colleagues."

The outburst prompted confused looks from the rest of the gathered group.

"What's going on?" Gwen asked.

"Ask him!" Dante shouted, stepping away and pointing an accusing finger at Tunde. "He's told me he wants me to quit this place."

"What?" Jack stared at Tunde.

"I didn't say that, exactly," Tunde stammered. "All I said was-"

"That he didn't want me working here with a gay boss! I told him that you and Ianto were together, Jack, and he told me that."

"No, you got the wrong end of the stick," Tunde insisted. "I've got no problem with you being gay, really. I just don't think the boss should be having a relationship with an employee, that's what I meant. I guess it came out wrong."

"Very wrong," Jack agreed, not entirely convinced by Tunde's explanation.

Any further discussion was halted by the sound of Rosa throwing up, leaving a pattern of sick on the glass.

"The next phase has started," Caitlyn remarked.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

It wasn't long before the three other people in the cell started vomiting violently as well. As much as the team were desperate to go to the aid of the victims, they reluctantly stayed outside under Jack's order. Gwen knew only too well what had happened last time the team had disobeyed his request. That was back when Toshiko and Owen had been alive.

Now, she stood against the wall, staring anxiously at Ianto, who seemed to be in a great deal of pain. Rhys was gripping her hand tightly, and Gwen was thankful for the support. She knew it could have just as easily been him in the cell as well.

She looked across at Jack, who was standing with his hand clenched around the handle of his trusty pistol. His face showed little emotion, and Gwen couldn't tell whether Jack was angry or just sad. Despite his tough exterior, she knew he had taken Tunde's remark hard.

"Are you alright?" Gwen asked, walking over to Jack and placing a hand on his arm.

He nodded once, not breaking eye contact from Ianto's cell.

"He'll be fine," she said quietly, knowing what Jack was thinking.

Again, he responded with a single nod. "I can't lose him, Gwen," he told her.

"You're not going to," she reassured him. She moved her hand so it touched Jack's, and he didn't flinch. "You said it yourself, the Vly aren't dangerous to the host. It's not going to hurt him."

"I'll lose him eventually, though. I'll lose all of you."

"I know."

There was silence between the two, and Dante took this as a cue to speak.

"Jack, I-"

Jack raised a hand to silence him, and Dante fell quiet, stunned and confused by his boss's actions. He looked across to Caitlyn, who offered only a shrug in response.

"Dante, you don't need to apologise. It's your father that does."

"I wasn't going to-" Dante pressed. "I just wanted to say you don't need to worry about losing me. I'm just a computer geek; you can get another one easily. You've said so many times we could die here, and still me and Cait stay. What does that tell you?"

"That you're mad," Gwen chipped in. "We're all mad at Torchwood; I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in the job description. We risk our lives day in, day out, for the sake of the world and nobody ever knows. In a society obsessed with fame, we stay under the surface. Like I said, madness."

Caitlyn nodded. "Jack, don't worry about us. You've got your own life to worry about; we can manage our own. And I'm not planning on dying anytime soon; so you don't need to fret. I've made my mistakes, and if I make another, it's my problem, not yours."

"Can we stop all this talk of dying?" Jack asked, frustrated. "Nobody's going to die, not today, not any time soon."

A loud banging on the glass front of Tamwen's cell silenced the group. "Where am I, and why have you got me locked up?"

"She can't remember?" Dante asked, shocked.

"She was out of it when I brought her in," Caitlyn reminded him. She unlocked the cell and let Tamwen stagger out. "You weren't well. I brought you here so I could keep an eye on you."

"Where's 'here'?"

"Torchwood," Jack explained. "It's where Caitlyn works. She was the one that brought you in, for your own safety too, mind. You weren't well; you caught a bug that seems to have affected quite a few people across Cardiff."

Tunde was shocked at the blatant lie. "Is that what you're going to tell Rosa and Daisha too, Harkness? A load of lies?"

"Lies?" Tamwen repeated. She looked to Caitlyn for a response.

"Outside," she whispered, taking her friend by the arm and leading her unsteadily out of the Vaults.

"Would you rather they knew the truth?" Jack hissed once the two women had left. "Would you rather them knowing they had been a host for an alien organism that grew inside them?"

Tunde looked at the floor, embarrassed and lost for words. "Of course not."

"Well then." Jack folded his arms. "That's that sorted."

There came a simultaneous tapping from each of the three inhabited cells, and a hubbub of noise. Jack unlocked Ianto, while Dante released his sister and Gwen used her key to let Rosa out.

"Yan, are you alright?" Jack asked, concerned.

Ianto nodded. "What happened?" He tried to take a step forward, but lost his balance. Jack held out his arms to catch him, and held the young Welshman for a few moments in a tight embrace.

"I'll tell you later."

"Can't keep your hands off me, Sir?" Ianto deadpanned, feeling Jack's hands move closer to his waist.

"Amongst other things," Jack grinned.

"Jack, please," Gwen sighed, stressing the last word emphatically. "We don't all need to listen to this."

Further down, Rosa and Daisha had joined the two male members of their family and were equally as stunned.

"So this is where you work?" Rosa asked.

Dante nodded proudly. "Yep."

"I don't know about anyone else, but I could really do with getting out of here," Jack declared loudly. "Debriefing in the boardroom, ten minutes. Everyone needs to be there, your family included, Dante."

There were a mixture of nods and affirmative grunts as Jack and Ianto walked towards the main body of the Hub together. Gwen and Rhys followed, leaving the Devyns behind.

"So," Ianto prompted once they were alone in Jack's office. "What happened?"

"Alien eggs in the coffee beans. Now the question is, what's going to happen next?" Jack sat on the edge of the desk and pulled Ianto closer.

"Eggs in the coffee?" Ianto repeated in disbelief, pulling away from Jack's grasp. "You're kidding me."

"Nope."

"I never thought I'd see the day coffee corrupted Cardiff."

"Well, it seems like you just have. Now, an answer to my question would be very much appreciated."

"Oh, I bet it would."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

There wasn't much space in the boardroom, once the five members of Torchwood, plus Rhys, Tamwen and the three Devyns had piled in. Extra chairs had been dragged in to seat all ten around the table, not that Jack was using his. He was standing at the end of the room, his hands leaning on the table and surveying the assembled group.

"Right," he declared eventually. "What happened today doesn't go outside these four walls. If you tell anyone your version of events, nobody's going to believe you because we'll make any trace of it conveniently forgotten. Even if nothing's recorded, we can give you and whoever you tell a little bout of amnesia. So you keep your little mouths shut. Got it?"

There were a series of nods and murmured uh-huhs from the visitors. Gwen was surprised at Jack's apparent anger, but she kept quiet. Instead, she slipped her hand under the table and into Rhys'.

"Ok. Next thing, the story is that there was a bout of food poisoning that affected a recent import. You stick to that story, and Torchwood won't be bothering you. Now, drink up before you go; we don't want you getting dehydrated."

Jack leaned forward and took a sip of his water, which Ianto had brought round once everyone had taken their seats. Everyone had been given a drink, and what the visitors didn't know was that their drinks had been spiked with Retcon. Tunde, Rosa, Daisha and Tamwen wouldn't remember a thing once they had been driven home and fallen asleep.

Gwen and Caitlyn took swigs of their drinks in an attempt to encourage the others to do the same. Once there were ten empty glasses on the table, Jack smiled.

"Let's get the lot of you home, then. Cait, are you alright to drive Tamwen? I'm assuming you'll all be going home together, Dante. Gwen and Rhys, you can leave when you want. Ianto and myself will stay and tidy up."

The chairs were pushed back as the assembled group got to their feet. As Gwen went to leave, Jack pulled her back.

"You'll need to take three Retcon pills for your neighbours."

Gwen nodded. "Will they be alright? I mean, no after-effects?"

Jack shook his head. "No, they'll be right as rain. Righter, in fact. Just erase all memory of today, and it'll be for the better."

Gwen smiled as she left the room and headed towards the store cupboard, with Rhys following. She took out three Retcon pills, then after pausing, took another three. You can never be too careful, she told herself. Pocketing them, she left the Hub with a cheery 'bye' called to the others.

Rhys took the wheel as the couple headed back to their flat. "Tell me this is all a dream," he said with a grin as they pulled up at a set of traffic lights. "I'm pretty sure I just stole coffee from a church then went to your work again to save Cardiff."

"No dream," Gwen laughed. "Though I'm not sure we saved Cardiff this time as much as averted a major panic. What if the media had got hold of aliens inhabiting people?" She shuddered at the thought.

"You would have dealt with it, as always."

"Yeah," Gwen agreed after a pause. "Yeah, I suppose we would."

XXX

Gwen knocked on the door of the flat, and was greeted by an over-enthusiastic Tessa.

"Mum's fine!" the teenager beamed. "I don't know what you did, but you did it. Thankyou!" She hugged Gwen, who could only smile.

"Right, why don't you go through and sit with your mum for a bit? She'll need a drink of water before she gets dehydrated. No, don't worry, I'll go," Gwen added, as Tessa made for the direction of the kitchen.

Tessa obliged, leaving Gwen to find four clean glasses in the kitchen and fill them with water. She crushed a Retcon tablet into three of them, and carried all four into the living room, where Eve and her two daughters were sat on the sofa. Gwen set the glasses down and took a sip from the non-spiked drink, hoping to encourage the others to do the same.

"You're better off drinking," she explained. "You might be dehydrated, Eve."

Eve nodded and picked up one of the glasses. She took a swig before setting it back down. "What happened? The girls said I was really ill, but I don't remember a thing."

"Food poisoning," Gwen lied. "It got people really badly. You'll be fine now, once you've drank some water."

"Food poisoning?" Corinne repeated, scoffing as she drank from another glass. "Come on, I'm no genius but I know that wasn't food poisoning."

"Yeah," Tessa pressed in between gulps. "Come on, Gwen, we're not thick. Tell us the truth or get out of our flat."

Gwen nodded, knowing the Retcon would soon kick in. "Alright, the truth. There are aliens in Cardiff; lots of them. And usually they're not harmful, but this lot got into a food supply and into people's bodies, which made them violently ill."

Tessa and Corinne looked at one another, not sure what to believe. Eventually it was the elder girl who spoke.

"You're telling the truth, aren't you?"

Gwen nodded.

"And that place where you work-"

"Is the alien catching base."

"Wow," Tessa mouthed, before yawning. She leant her head on her sister's shoulder, who struggled to stifle a yawn herself. It wasn't long before the three were asleep on the sofa, the Retcon taking effect. Gwen stood up and headed to the kitchen, where she washed up the four empty glasses. Then she walked out of the flat, closing the door behind her. She crossed the hallway and entered her own, where she climbed into bed beside Rhys. It wasn't late, but it had been a long day and there was nothing she wanted more than to fall asleep with Rhys at her side.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

With the rest of his family under the influence of Retcon, Dante insisted on driving them all home. It was just as well he had done, for his parents and sister were sleeping, their heads resting against the glass windows, by the time they were only halfway home. He unlocked the front door and carried them, one by one, into the living room and sat them on the sofa. Carrying two fully-grown adults and a teenager was heavy work, but Dante's physical training he had received at Torchwood was undoubtedly useful. His strength and stamina had improved immensely over the weeks he had been working there, and things he would have struggled with before he could now accomplish with ease.

Turning on the television so it looked as though his family had simply fallen asleep whilst watching it, he flicked through the channels. A news broadcast was covering the recent spate of illnesses in Cardiff. They were using the lie of food poisoning. If only they knew the truth, he thought to himself. Only a month or so ago, he would have been part of the majority duped into believing the lies. Now, though, he was part of the team orchestrating them. And he liked it.

Xxx

Caitlyn carried a sleeping Tamwen into the lift at the bottom of the block of flats where they lived and hit the button for the third floor. She was thankful nobody seemed to be around; the last thing she wanted was to have to orchestrate lies about why Tamwen was in her state at only ten o'clock in the evening. It had been a long day, to tell the truth, but not late enough to use the excuse that her flatmate had gotten drunk. Luckily, as she heaved her along the corridor and into their shared flat, there were no questions asked.

She settled the unconscious woman into her bed, pulling off her trainers and socks and rolling the stripy duvet so that it covered most of Tamwen's body. Satisfied, Caitlyn turned and went into her own bedroom, where she found out a clean pair of pyjamas and a towel. More than anything, she needed a refreshing shower. She'd planned on having one the first time she'd arrived at the flat; the training plus the jog home had made her sweat just a little bit more than she would have liked. But that plan had been cast aside, and now, finally, she was going to clear her mind under some cool water before turning in for the night.

The cold water trickled down her back as she reflected on the day's events. It hadn't been normal, even by Torchwood standards. Though, then again, if she had wanted normality she would have stayed at the hospital. But that wouldn't be fun, not after getting a taste of Torchwood life. And she had been so lucky to be offered the job, she remembered sadly. A moment of madness had lead to the likelihood of death at the hands of Captain Jack Harkness, but instead he had employed her, and for that she would be eternally grateful.

Xxx

Before Jack and Ianto could go to bed – whether they would actually sleep however was anyone's guess - there was the small matter of sorting out the mess that Gwen and Rhys had made when they visited the church. They had taken an unmarked vehicle across Cardiff, with a stash of Retcon in their pockets, in both tablet and injection form. Locking up the vehicle, Ianto led the way into the church, knocking on the glass door that led to the main part of it. He could see a man sitting in robes at the altar, seemingly crying. He glanced up at Jack, as if to say _I'll go and talk to him, you sort out the kitchen. _Jack seemed to understand, and left Ianto to go and comfort the vicar.

"Are you alright?" he called out in a soft whisper.

As the vicar looked up, Ianto recognised him from their previous encounter, and fished around for his name. Harper, like Owen. No, it wasn't. Hopper. That was it. Sam Hopper.

"What are you doing in my church?" Hopper's voice was barely a squeak, and Ianto was shocked at how broken the man seemed to be. He sat down beside him and put an awkward arm around the vicar, who fell into the embrace and sobbed into Ianto's shoulder.

"You want to talk about it?" Ianto asked gently, rubbing soothing circles on the man's back. He wasn't a natural comforter like Gwen, but he could see how much Hopper needed a shoulder to cry on.

Hopper sniffed, then nodded. "Cops came into my church," he explained through his tears. "You've got no idea how much my reputation as a vicar, and that of the church as a whole, will be affected by that."

Ianto slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a syringe of liquid Retcon. "It'll be alright," he soothed as he injected the substance into Hopper's arms, and rocked the vicar until he fell asleep. When he was satisfied that Hopper was under the effects of Retcon, he laid him out across the floor and left the church, shutting the door behind him. Jack was already sitting, waiting, in the car.

"How did it go?"

Ianto nodded. "Poor bloke was distraught. I injected him with Retcon. Did you get the kitchen sorted out and disinfected?"

"Of course. Now, there's one final thing to be sorted out this evening."

"And what's that?" Ianto asked warily.

"Your place or mine?"


End file.
